By Fatou Dahaba
Seven years after the Janneh Commission concluded its explosive investigation into former President Yahya Jammeh’s financial dealings, the ministerial task force charged with disposing of his seized assets has admitted the job remains unfinished, with numerous properties still unsold and new assets continuing to surface.
Minister of Lands, Local Government and Religious Affairs, Hamat NK Bah, testified Wednesday before the National Assembly’s Special Select Committee on the sale and disposal of assets identified by the Janneh Commission that the Cabinet-level task force he once chaired has not completed its mandate.
“Many of the assets have not been sold,” Minister Bah told lawmakers. “The committee still needs to meet, decide what to sell and what not to sell, and there are still issues to report on.”
While unable to recall the exact number of assets sold, the minister confirmed that land, houses, and other properties had been disposed of through public tenders, with proceeds deposited into the national treasury at the Central Bank. He insisted, however, that vehicles and livestock were never under the task force’s purview and had never been brought before the committee for consideration.
Established following the government’s White Paper on the Janneh Commission report, the task force was mandated to review the commission’s recommendations, advise Cabinet on which assets the state should retain and which should be sold, and oversee a transparent disposal process.
Minister Bah explained that a technical committee first evaluated the assets, after which the Cabinet task force reviewed the valuations, appointed a receiver for independent reassessment, and sought final Cabinet approval for the sales. In some cases, he said, the Cabinet directed that certain properties be retained for use by specific ministries.
The minister revealed that additional Jammeh-linked assets not documented by the Janneh Commission have since been discovered. “Yes, there were further discoveries of other Jammeh assets that the Commission did not cover,” he confirmed, adding that a complete list has not yet been compiled and that the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General could provide more details to the inquiry.
The slow pace of the disposal process – now entering its seventh year – has renewed questions about transparency and political will in recovering assets allegedly acquired through corruption during Jammeh’s 22-year rule. With properties still unsold and fresh discoveries emerging, Gambians awaiting full accountability may have to wait even longer.
